While still a long, long way from becoming part of the mainstream, hip-hop's acceptance of gay rights is undoubtedly on the rise; or at the very least, hip-hop is discussing gay rights in a way it never has before. A week after Frank Ocean became urban music's most famous openly gay artist, and MURS took aim at the issue on Animal Style, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis drop off their own contribution to the cause, Same Love. As always Ryan Lewis puts together a wide-ranging instrumental that contains touches of piano ballad, military percussion and lightly layered horns. Macklemore bravely follows his lead, chronicling his journey from a naive kid to a man committed to tolerance: "If I was gay I would think hip-hop hates me / have you read the YouTube comments lately?" Agree or disagree, the Seattle duo have always spoken their mind, and that's never going to change. Same Love will be released in partnership with Music for Marriage Equality and Sub Pop Records as a digital single on July 24 and vinyl on July 31 - all proceeds will benefit marriage equality in Washington State - while Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' The Heist debut album is set for indie release on October 9.